# $EPIC: dcc_chat.txt,v 1.3 2007/02/02 23:28:03 jnelson Exp $
======Synopsis:======
[[dcc]] chat <nick> [-p <port>]

======Description:======
[[DCC]] CHAT offers to another user, or accepts an offer from another user,
for a direct connection between your clients.  This direct connection allows
you to talk to that person without the messages passing through any irc 
network.  

Because the messages are not sent over irc, they are both less prone to
snooping by others on irc, and they are delivered faster and have 
guaranteed delivery (which irc does not guarantee because of netsplits).

Because the messages are not sent over irc, it requires that the other 
peer know your IP address.  This may be undesirable if your hostname is
spoofed on the network.  Do not offer (or accept) dcc connections with
those who you do not want to know your ip address.

To send a message across a [[DCC]] CHAT connection, use the [[MSG]]
command as you normally would, but prefix the other person's <nick> with
an equals-sign ('=').  The <nick> is the one that you gave to the
original [[DCC]] CHAT command.  Even if they change their nickname on
irc, you must still refer to them by the nickname you gave to [[DCC]] CHAT.
You can change the <nick> with [[DCC]] [[DCC RENAME|RENAME]].

You can send a [[CTCP]] command across a [[DCC]] CHAT connection (allowing you
to initiate a [[DCC]] [[DCC SEND|SEND]], for example), if the remote client
supports CTCP-over-DCC.  EPIC clients will work; others may or may not.

The [[DCC]] CHAT connection persists until either the connection is 
voluntarily closed by either party using [[dcc]] [[dcc close|close]], or
when either party terminates their client.

If you offer a [[DCC]] CHAT connection and the other person does not accept it,
you can re-tender the offer by using [[DCC]] CHAT again.  This will send a
duplicate [[CTCP]] message to the other peer, to let them know that you are
still offering the connection.

If the -p flag is present you may specify the port that the client
should use for the connection.

All the usual caveats about using [[dcc]] behind a NAT router apply.

======Examples:======
   /dcc chat bob		Offer a DCC CHAT connection to "bob" on
				the current network.
   /msg =bob Hi there bob!	Send a message to "bob" over DCC CHAT after
				bob has accepted the connection.  If bob
				changes his nickname on irc, you would still
				use "=bob" to send him a DCC CHAT message.